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John Gilbert Cooper
| death_place = Mayfair, London | death_cause = | residence = | other_names = | known_for = poetry | education = | employer = | occupation = | title = | salary = | networth = | height = | weight = | term = | predecessor = | successor = | party = | boards = | religion = | spouse = | partner = | children = | parents = | relatives = | signature = | website = | footnotes = | nationality = British }} John Gilbert Cooper (24 August 1722 - 21 April 1769) was an English poet and miscellaneous writer. Life He was born John Gilbert was born in Lockington, Leicestershire. His father was left a legacy which included Thurgarton Priory which he was allowed if he changed his name to Cooper.Deed Poll Office: Private Act of Parliament 1735 (9 Geo. 2). c. 27 John Gilbert Cooper was educated locally and then at Westminster School.Robin Dix, ‘Cooper, John Gilbert (1722–1769)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, 2004 accessed 28 May 2011 He completed his education at Trinity College, Cambridge. Cooper first published poetry in 1742, occasionally until he became a regular contributor to The Museum which was published by Robert Dodsley. He contributed to Dodsley's journal under the pen name of Philaretes.John Gilbert Cooper, Alexander Chalmers, Works of the English Poets, 1810 Cooper's claim to notability comes from his prose, poetry and a public row he had with William Warburton. The row arose his 1749 Life of Socrates, which ignored the established view of many including Warburton. Warburton responded to Cooper in an Essay on Criticism in 1751. Cooper unwisely accused Warburton of personal attack in Cursory Remarks on Mr Warburton's New Edition of Mr Pope's Works - unwisely, as he also made personal attacks on Warburton. Samuel Johnson later described Cooper as the Punchinello of literature.James Boswell, Life Cooper's 1754 Letters Concerning Taste was said to be the first book on the subject of taste. Cooper devoted the last few years of his life to the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, but left when he failed to get elected as vice president. Cooper died in Mayfair, early after suffering with kidney stones and was buried at Thurgarton. Recognition Cooper inspired a noted painting by Joseph Wright of Derby. The painting, entitled Miravan Breaking Open the Tomb of his Ancestors, was based on a story in Cooper's Letters of Taste. Cooper had recounted a story where a greedy nobleman despoils his ancestor's grave in search of riches to find himself cursed by his ancestor.Letters of Taste, John Gilbert Cooper, Letter X, P.69, accessed May 2011 Publications Poetry *''The Power of Harmony: A poem, in two books''. London: R. Dodsley, 1745. *''The Tomb of Shakespear. A poetical vision''. London: R. & J. Dodsley, 1755. *''The Genius of Britain. An iambic ode''. London: M. Cooper, 1756. *''Epistles to the great: From Aristippus in retirement''. London: R. & J. Dodsley, 1757. *''The Call of Aristippus: Epistle IV: To Mark Akenside, M.D''. London: R. & J. Dodsley, 1758. *''A Father's Advice to His Son: An elegy''. London: R. & J. Dodsley, 1759. *''Poems on Several Subjects''. London: R. & J. Dodsley, 1764. *''Poetical Works''. London: 1794. *''The Poems of Cooper and Cotton'' (with Nathaniel Cotton). Chiswick, UK: Press of C. Whittingham, 1822. Non-fiction *''Life of Socrates''. London: R. Dodsley, 1749. *''Cursory Remarks on Mr. Warburton's New Edition of Mr. Pope's Works''. London: M. Cooper, 1751. *''Letters Concerning Taste''. London: R. & J. Dodsley, 1755. Translated *Jean Baptiste Louis Gresset, Ver-Vert; or, The nunnery parrot. London: R. & J. Dodsley, 1759. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:John Gilbert Cooper, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, May 18, 2016. References External links ;Poems *John Gilbert Cooper (1723-1769) info & 3 poems at English Poetry, 1579-1830 ;Books * ;About *Cooper, John Gilbert in the Dictionary of National Biography Category:1722 births Category:1769 deaths Category:People from Leicestershire Category:British poets Category:British male poets